


Le Quatorze Juillet

by lizzrossstories



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Aged Up, Bastille Day, F/M, Fluff, Identity Reveal, Le Quatorze Juillet, it's so cute and fluffly i wanna die, they're around 20 years old
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-18
Updated: 2018-07-18
Packaged: 2019-06-12 10:36:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,807
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15338043
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lizzrossstories/pseuds/lizzrossstories
Summary: Paris is celebrating its first Quatorze Juillet (Bastille Day) after the defeat of Le Papillon. Ladybug and Chat Noir have decided to do what all the Parisians do and watch the annual classical concert at the Champ de Mars in front of the Eiffel Tower with a beautiful picnic spread. And like everyone else, there's food, and of course drinks freely flowing. Only they have the best seat in the house. On the Eiffel Tower of course. But sometimes expensive champagne, spiked orange juice, and a familiar piano solo give away more than they would under normal circumstances.





	Le Quatorze Juillet

The sun beat down on the city of Paris as thousands of people, both tourists and native Parisians alike, made their way down to the Parc du Champ de Mars, hoping to snag a decent patch of grass for the evening. They laid out their picnic blankets and lawn chairs all the way from the Eiffel Tower to the end of the park across from the École Militaire and beyond. A grand stage had been assembled at the base of the Eiffel Tower where the orchestra had rehearsed some of their pieces for the concert tonight earlier in the afternoon. The Eiffel Tower had been closed hours before any of that had happened of course, and was lined with fireworks hidden all throughout the top. 

The Champ de Mars was already almost full when the conductor signaled for the orchestra to begin playing. Throughout all the excitement, no one noticed Chat Noir vault gracefully onto the second floor of the Eiffel Tower. 

“You’re late,” Ladybug said when she heard the telltale thud of his arrival. She was perched on the railing, gazing intently at the festivities below. She had two bags of pastries next to her and a bag with apricot jam, butter, and a long baguette at her feet. 

“I know, and for that I am deeply sorry. But, I brought bubbles.”

Ladybug turned her gaze away from the orchestra and met Chat Noir’s brilliant green eyes as he proudly held out a magnificent bottle of champagne for her to inspect. 

When she saw the label, Ladybug almost dropped the bottle and then instantly clutched onto it, holding it to her chest as she quickly dismounted from the railing and onto solid ground.

“Chat, this is a bottle of Dom Perignon Rosé!”

“And it’s vintage,” he replied proudly. 

“It’s insanely expensive!” Ladybug cried. “When I told said that you were allowed to splurge a bit on the wine, I meant that you could maybe get a bottle for like 20 euros.”

“20 euro wine for le Quatorze Juillet?” Chat replied incredulously, “But this is a special occasion. I went with the cheaper option too.”

“I don’t even want to know what the other options were if this was the cheap one.”

“Bugaboo, let me pamper you just this once. We’ve got nothing to worry about. No school, no akumas, no Le Papillon.”

Ladybug sighed, handing Chat the bottle back, “Fine, pour your stupid expensive wine.”

“Hey if you think it’s stupid I’ll just drink the whole thing on my own.”

“No, no, no, you went through all this trouble to get 400 euro wine.”

“It’s actually just 300 euros.”

“Oh that makes me feel so much better,” Ladybug replied sarcastically. 

Chat laughed, “How did you know how much the wine was anyway?”

“I am a woman of immaculate taste.”

“You wanted me to buy 20 euro champagne,” Chat noted. 

“Exactly, 20 euro wine can taste just as good as 300 euro wine,” Ladybug countered. 

“We’ll see about that.”

Chat procured two glass champagne flutes from somewhere within his suit (Ladybug was still insanely jealous that he had pockets. Sure her upgrade gave her wings but who needed those when you were already flying through the Paris skyline via yo-yo?). 

“To the first year of peace,” Chat proclaimed before popping the bottle open. The golden bubbles erupted over the bottle and onto Chat’s gloved hand.

“Oh merde, I forgot that champagne does that.”

“Don’t worry,” Ladybug said, “I brought napkins.”

She pulled out a few napkins from her bag and placed them on the small puddle at Chat’s feet, soaking up the spilled champagne. 

Chat extended a glass filled with the bubbly rosé to Ladybug before filling up his own. 

“Now, where was I?” he asked. 

“I believe you were saying something about the first year of peace.”

“Ah, yes. To the first year where we won’t have to get out of class to go fight an akuma.”

“To the first year of Le Papillion safely behind bars.”

Chat smiled softly, “And to the hope that everything will get better from here on out.”

They clinked their glasses together before each taking a sip of the wine. 

Ladybug’s eyes widened as the taste of swirling bubbly rosé met her lips, “Oh my god.”

“What were you saying again about 20 euro wine and 300 euro wine being the same?” Chat replied, grinning.   
“Fine, you were right. This is so much better than cheap wine.” 

“You’re welcome.”

The two sipped their wines in relative silence save for the performance below. The orchestra was accompanying two opera singers in La Traviata and the music flowed freely throughout the Champ de Mars. Behind them, more people were listening at the Trocadero. 

Ladybug sighed, smiling at the sheer amount of people that came out for the festivities. She was glad that for the first time in five years, they could come out and enjoy Le Quatorze Juillet without the looming threat of Le Papillon’s akumas. 

She and Chat had tracked down Le Papillon’s lair to the Agreste Mansion earlier than year and after a harrowing battle, Chat had managed to grab the butterfly broche on Gabriel Agreste’s chest, and ended the five-year terror on Paris. 

Chat was a full of fury that day. Void of all puns and witty comments, he was the one that ultimately brought down Le Papillon. Ladybug, who had been injured and knocked out, woke with a start and watched in awe and horror as Chat matched every one of Le Papillon’s advances with cold calculated maneuvers until he had Le Papillon cornered. With one brilliant swing of his baton, Chat knocked Le Papillon out cold and unclipped the broche from him, revealing the small form of Gabriel Agreste. 

Chat had walked back over to Ladybug, had given her the broche, and had stood in between her and Le Papillon’s still form until the police found them and took Gabriel Agreste into custody. 

She hadn’t seen hide nor hair of Chat for a full week after that and ended up going to visit Adrien as Ladybug alone, to see how he was doing. It wasn’t until after she left Agreste Mansion did she finally run into Chat, who apologized for not being around, stating that he needed some time to himself. Ladybug didn’t question him. She was just happy that he was back. 

She looked over to Chat now, who was carelessly swinging his legs over the railing, his tail leisurely swishing back and forth behind him. She smiled. This was her Chat. He wouldn’t say what happened in the moments between Le Papillon knocking her out and when she came to, and she’d learned not to push him. She was just happy that he was back. 

The final note of La Traviata rang before being overtaken by the sound of thunderous applause. Ladybug took another sip of her wine before throwing a bag of pastries to Chat. 

“Here, they’re your favorites.”

“From the Dupain-Cheng Boulangerie?”

“Only the best for my chaton.”

“Yes!” Chat quickly inhaled a pain au chocolat from the bag. “You’re the best Bugaboo.”

She snorted, “Yeah, he says that now that I’ve fed him.”

“I always say that.”

“You almost didn’t come today,” she countered, teasingly. 

Chat suddenly looked a bit embarrassed, “Ah, yeah haha. But I am here aren’t I?”

Ladybug suddenly had a thought, “Wait, you didn’t cancel plans with family or something right?”

“No! Nothing like that,” Chat replied quickly. “I was going to ask a friend of mine if she wanted to picnic at the Champ de Mars, but she couldn’t make it.”

“She?” Ladybug’s eyebrows rose questioningly. 

Chat seemed to blush with the setting sun. “Yeah, um, she—well, ah.”

“Aww, cat got your tongue, minou?” Ladybug laughed. 

“Stop,” he tore off a piece of his croissant and threw it at her. 

“You’re adorable. You really like this girl, huh?”

“Yeah? I mean, yes completely. She’s an amazing friend and lately it’s seemed like it could be something more,” Chat explained. “We went out for lunch a few days ago without any of our friends. And it was really nice. And she’s amazing.”

Ladybug smiled as Chat continued to describe this girl that he was so obviously enamored with, but she was surprised at the uncomfortable knot in her chest. She mentally shook her head clear and urged her heart to unknot itself. Sure, since Le Papillon’s defeat, Chat had slowly stopped flirting as outrageously as he had done before. He still occasionally called her ‘my lady’ but it wasn’t accompanied with corny couplets like before. 

And for that, she had been grateful. As Marinette, she had made strides with Adrien after his father went to jail. She felt responsible, sure, but more than that, she wanted to make sure he knew that she, as well as Nino and Alya, would be there for him no matter what. And more often than not, when the four of them would hang out, Nino and Alya would ultimately disappear for whatever reason and Marinette and Adrien would spend an awful lot of time together. This led to video game hangouts at both of their homes, hers more than his, as well as more group outings and most recently, lunch, with just the two of them. And Marinette knew that if Chat was still doting on her as Ladybug when she’d been getting closer to Adrien, she would feel guilty about potentially leading him on. 

So the fact that he was so taken by this girl he hadn’t really mentioned before was fine to her. It’s not like she mentioned Adrien to Chat all that much either. She was fine. 

“So why aren’t you with her right now?” Ladybug asked. 

“Oh, she said her family usually spends Le Quatorze Juillet together. They watch the fireworks from their balcony.”

Ladybug’s eyes narrowed, “And she didn’t invite you?”

“She said it was a family thing,” Chat shrugged. “I didn’t want to intrude.”

Ladybug didn’t like the sound of that one bit. It seemed like this girl was trying to gently make an excuse to not hang out with Chat. But then again, hadn’t she said the same thing to Adrien earlier this week in the hopes of being able to spend her first peaceful Quatorze Juillet on the Eiffel Tower with Chat? 

“Besides, we’re going to one of the Firemen Balls tonight together with friends anyway. And now I get to spend the evening with you so it all worked out,” Chat said cheerfully. 

“True.”

“Are you going out tonight?”

Ladybug nodded, “Yeah, my friends and I are going to the one by St. Michel.”

“What a coincidence, so are we,” Chat replied. “Maybe we’ll run into each other.”

Ladybug snorted, “I highly doubt it. It’ll be too crowded.”

“I’m really easy to spot in crowds. You just have to look for tall and mysteriously sexy,” he wiggled his eyebrows mischievously. 

“Definitely won’t be finding you then,” she retorted. 

“Oh, come on Bugaboo.”

“Face it Chat, you’re just not my type.”

“Ouch, that hurt My Lady.”

She smiled, “You’ll get over it.”

The two of them laughed as they ate their way through the pastries and baguette, drinking the bottle of champagne as they went. Ladybug was beginning to feel the familiar buzz that came along with good thoughts and fun times.   
“I should’ve brought another bottle,” Chat lamented, draining the last few drops from the bottle. 

“Lucky for you, I have a surprise,” Ladybug said, revealing a carton of juice from her bag. 

“Orange juice?”

“It’s spiked with vodka.”

“My Lady!”

Ladybug poured the spiked juice into the empty champagne flutes and handed one to him. 

“You’re a horrible influence,” he told her, accepting the flute. 

“You’re one to talk,” she retorted playfully. 

Chat feigned offended, “How dare you! I am a role model for all of the kittens in Paris.”

“You mean all of the mangy strays,” she teased. 

“Strays are cats too.”

Ladybug couldn’t help but laugh as she reached out to ruffle his hair, “Oh, mon minou.”

Chat let out a soft purr. 

“Oh my god.”

He jerked his head away from her hand, “What?”

“You are so cute!”

Chat rolled his eyes, “Are you sure that spiked vodka was a good idea? I think you may have had enough.”

“Oh shut up Chat, I’ve always thought you were cute.”

“What?”

Ladybug laughed, “Of course, silly. You’re my cute, adorable, little kitten.”

Chat chuckled. Ladybug was never extremely vocal about her affections, but he appreciated knowing how much she cared for him all the same.   
They sat in companionable silence for the next few pieces. The orchestra masterfully made their way through well-known classical works as well as well as famous film soundtracks. It was so exquisitely French that Marinette could feel the pride in her country, especially her pride in Paris, bubble up inside her. 

They had all gone through so much. The city had originally approached them to ask if they would like this year’s theme for the fireworks display to be of Ladybug and Chat Noir, but the two of them had politely declined. Paris should be known for what Paris does best, love. And so this year’s theme was love, and love of all sorts, and most importantly, love for all. 

And the theme was definitely reflected in the music they chose to perform as well. Ladybug could tell that the concert was beginning to wind down to its final few numbers as the songs were becoming much more dramatic and difficult to play. She glanced at Chat, who was fully engrossed in the music, slowly sipping his drink. 

In the next piece the solo pianist gracefully glided across the stage before taking her seat in front of the grand Steinway and Sons. When the music began, Chat gasped, startling Ladybug out of her admiration for whoever had designed the pianist’s lovely gown. 

“What?” She asked. 

“I know this song!”

“Chat, you’ve known all of the songs they’ve played.”

“I know, but I know how to play this song.”

“On the piano?”

Chat nodded. 

Ladybug couldn’t help but be surprised as she watched the experienced pianist make her way through the keys, attacking them with such precision and grace and such an incredible speed. She couldn’t imagine her bumbling Chat Noir, who managed to get himself flung into a building almost every other akuma attack, being so graceful. 

“She’s amazing,” Ladybug breathed. 

Now that she thought of it, she had heard this piece before. Adrien had spent quite a while learning it. He was originally going to play it for the concert, but canceled because he couldn’t get through it without making at least one mistake. Sometimes she’d get a call in the middle of the night because he was up practicing and he couldn’t get his fingers to cooperate. He only once played it for her, Alya, and Nino in its entirety without messing up. It was still a beautiful piece, but she was glad he realized earlier that he wouldn’t have it ready in time. And he was much less stressed out after he’d stopped putting all that pressure on himself. 

“It’s such a difficult piece,” Chat said. “It took me months to get that part down.”

He drained is drink before pouring the rest of the contents of orange juice carton in his glass. 

“They originally asked me to play, you know.”

Ladybug froze. 

“I had to cancel because I just couldn’t manage to get through the piece without making at least one very obvious mistake,” Chat continued, not noticing Ladybug’s sudden shift in demeanor. “I’m glad I did too, she’s doing a much better job than I would’ve.”

The crowd below burst into applause just as Ladybug’s entire world shifted and everything began to make sense.

“Oh my god.”

“I know, it was absolutely amazing.”

“Oh my god.”

“Ladybug?”

“I am such an idiot.”

Chat frowned, “What?”

She couldn’t help but laugh at the absurdity that was her life, “You! You’ve been here the whole time.”

“Um, yes?”

“Oh my god!”

“Bug, you’re not making any sense right now.”

“I can’t believe I was jealous of myself?”

“Ladybug,” Chat grabbed her shoulders, “are you okay?”

She laughed, “You’re doing the shoulder thing! You’ve done that so many times. How did I not figure it out?”

“I have no idea what’s going on right now.”

Down below on the stage, the announcer was preparing everyone for one final singing of La Marseillaise. The roar of the crowd shook Ladybug out of her internally revelation.   
She grabbed Chat Noir and prepared to swing off the Eiffel Tower, “Come on, let’s get out of here before the fireworks take us with them.”

They swung off the Eiffel Tower, over the crowd, who began to shout and point as they flew by, and landed on the École Militaire across the street. 

“Ladybug and Chat Noir!” the announcer gestured to the building where they landed as the audience gave them a thunderous applause. 

But Ladybug paid no attention to that. She swiftly turned around to face her partner.

“Adrien Agreste, you beautiful idiot.”

“What?” Chat exclaimed, “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Don’t even start with me,” Ladybug said, “You’re doing the exact same, ‘I’m embarrassed so I’m rubbing the back of my neck move’ you always do. I know you.”

“I don’t do that!” Chat replied, before noticing that he was in fact, doing just that, before lowering his hand.

“And don’t worry about your girlfriend,” Ladybug smirked. “She just blew you off so she could spend time with her partner.”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

Ladybug looked pointedly at him, waiting. She had to say, it was quite entertaining to watch the realization spread slowly across his face. 

“Marinette?”

“Hi,” Ladybug waved. 

“Oh my god.”

“Yeah.”

“Oh my god.”

“Get it all out.”

“I’m such an idiot.”

“I’m glad we both agree.”

Chat grinned gleefully, “I can’t believe it. I’m the luckiest cat in the world.”

“You’re also a giant dork,” Ladybug pointed out.

Chat was about to say something, but the opening chords to the La Marseillaise began. The two of them watched the crowd, native French, immigrants, and tourists alike, wave the French flag while proudly singing the national anthem. The two of them were filled with an immense sense of pride, watching their city come together in such a powerful way, especially after all they had been through. 

At the end of the last note, the first of the fireworks went up from the Trocadero and lit up the night sky. 

“Wait, so let me get this straight,” Chat turned to her. “You are Marinette Dupain-Cheng.”

“Yup.”

“You’re Ladybug.”

“Yeah.”

“You told me you couldn’t see the fireworks with me because you wanted to see the fireworks with me?”

Ladybug laughed, “That sounds confusing but, yes.”

“You like me?”

“Yeah.”

“Me me?”

“Yes.”

“Adrien Agreste?”

“Yes.”

“Chat Noir?”

“Oh my god, Adrien, Chat, whatever, yes I like you,” Ladybug exclaimed. 

“And you were jealous of yourself?”

“What?”

Chat laughed, “Oh my god that’s hilarious. Here I was, listing everything amazing about you and you got jealous because you didn’t know it was you.”

“Ha ha okay, I’ll admit it was funny,” Ladybug replied. 

“Wait,” Chat paused, “did you say girlfriend?”

“What?”

A splash of bright red fireworks illuminated Chat’s face. His eyes were washed with a warm tender glow as he said softly, “You called yourself my girlfriend.”

“I did,” Ladybug’s blush matched the light from the night sky. “Is that alright?”

Chat’s face split into a dopey lopsided grin, “It’s more than alright.”

The music shifted into Edith Piaf’s “La Vie en Rose” as the Eiffel Tower lit up in bright pink, golden fireworks showering the night sky. Chat Noir took a step closer to Ladybug. She could see everything falling into place in his eyes. And she felt all of the pieces coming together. Chat’s initially distance after Gabriel Agreste’s arrest, Adrien’s lack of surprise, the grief that had seemed to come from both of them, and now the healing that came with time. She was there for all of that, for both of them, for him and Ladybug couldn’t help but throw her arms around him, trying to convey all of her emotions to him, but it didn’t seem to be enough.

“Can I kiss you?” Ladybug asked. 

Chat blushed, “My Lady, how very forward of you.”

“Oh shut up,” she rolled her eyes before learning forward and capturing his lips with hers just as another firework burst through the night sky. If anyone was insane enough to take their eyes off the spectacle surrounding the Eiffel Tower and turn around, they would’ve seen the heroes of Paris locked in a loving embrace, one that perfectly encapsulated the year’s joy, grief, triumph, loss, and most importantly, love. 

“I love you, Marinette, Ladybug,” Chat said. They had said it before in passing, through joy, comfort, and pain, but never like this. 

“And I love you, Adrien, Chat Noir,” Ladybug replied, smiling. 

“And I’m totally your type,” Chat grinned. 

Ladybug broke away from him, “Oh my god, you’re never going to let me live that down are you?”

“Nope.”

The two of them sat down on the edge of the building as Chat draped his arm around her shoulder. Ladybug moved in closer, glanced up to meet his eyes, and looked back at the fireworks. 

After the last of the fireworks disappeared from the night sky, the two of them got up. 

“This was the best Quatorze Juillet I’ve ever had,” Chat said. 

Ladybug smiled, kissing his cheek, “And it’s not over yet. We’ve still got a ball to go to.”

“Right!” Chat exclaimed, “Allow me to escort My Lady to the ball?”

“No!” Chat jumped at Ladybug’s sudden refusal. “I still haven’t gotten ready!”

Chat laughed, “I’m sure whatever you’re wearing is perfectly fine.”

“Nope,” Ladybug shook her heads furiously. “I have to go change and get ready.”

“I can come with you,” Chat offered. 

“Nope,” Ladybug repeated. “Getting ready is a sacred process.”

“But I want to see the dress you designed for today,” Chat whined. 

“You’ll just have to wait and see like everyone else.”

Ladybug swung her yo-yo to the nearest building. 

“At least let me pick you up from your house.”

She turned to face him.

“Adrien Agreste, if I see you trying to catch a peek of my dress through my window, you’re a dead cat.”

“Duly noted,” Chat Noir gave her his signature two-fingered salute as she jumped off the building and swung home. 

“Doesn’t mean I won’t do it anyway,” he said to himself before laughing and jumping off after her. They had a ball to attend to after all.

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone! Thank you so much for reading. 
> 
> This is kind of my way to let everyone know that, hey I'm still alive and I have no plans to abandon any of my current ongoing works. I'm currently in Europe for the next few months and I just had the amazing experience of being in Paris for Le Quatorze Juillet and I was inspired to write this up. 
> 
> I promise, Art on Ice and The Physics of Ladybug and Chat Noir will be updated and they will be complete at some point (hopefully soon). As soon as I'm done with this godforsaken internship, it's all writing from here on out.
> 
> Hope you enjoyed this story! Please feel free to comment or contact me on Tumblr at lizzrossstories
> 
> Thanks for reading! Hope you're having an amazing day!


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